Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has finalised its ambitious makeover plans that will see its UK car dealership network completely revamped.
The “total network re-think”, as JLR phrases it, began two years ago and is due to be completed by the end of 2018, with its network expanded to 138 car dealerships. Most of these will be rebranded as dual-marque ‘Arch’ dealerships, selling both Jaguar and Land Rover side-by-side. Each of its partner dealerships will invest somewhere between £2 and £15 million realising the manufacturer’s vision, with the total network spend predicted to reach around £1 billion by the time it is completed.
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In addition to revamping and expanding the JLR brand across the UK, the manufacturer has also decided to not renew some of its current contracts. This is to ensure that the dealerships in each town and city are run by one group, rather than having multiple presences in the same place.
So far, 10 ‘Arch’ dealerships have been completely revamped. Another 30 are being completed, with 23 of these due to be completed by the end of 2016. Each of these will feature a 50:50 split between the Jaguar and Land Rover brands with one central reception desk to direct customers.
Additionally, the JLR group has invested heavily in preparing for a hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) future, with “huge wiring conduits” being installed to accommodate new EVs whenever they are introduced.
Jeremy Hicks, the managing director of JLR, told AM Online: “There’s a lot happening at JLR at the moment, but having the right retail network and the right staff in place lies at the heart of everything we need in order to continue to prosper.”
